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Pittsburgh Art Events: December 4-10
Explore Pittsburgh’s vibrant arts and culture scene with this week’s event recommendations, featuring a new opera that blends Chinese and Western traditions, multiple versions of The Nutcracker, an interactive inflatable sculpture for all ages, and more!
Monday, December 4
slowdanger - SUPERCELL: Welcome Dinner & Artist Talk. Celebrate the Pittsburgh premiere of SUPERCELL, a new evening-length dance work from the dynamic duo, slowdanger, with a welcome dinner and artist talk. The work begs the question, “How do we cultivate hope during continually uncertain times?” KST’s Alloy Studios. 5530 Penn Ave., East Liberty. Welcome Dinner & Artist Talk at 6 p.m. Performances on Dec. 8 and 9. kelly-strayhorn.org
Tuesday, December 5
Silver Eye Holiday Social. Celebrate photography and community, enjoy treats and cheer, and be the first to hear a very exciting announcement. Silver Eye Education Center. 5228 Penn Ave., Bloomfield. 5-7 p.m. silvereye.org
Exploring Prison Abolition Through Film with Beyond Walls. This exciting and enlightening program offers a community film screening and conversation about Beyond Walls, a collection of short documentaries that examine prison abolition from a wide range of perspectives with the hope of inspiring people to imagine and take action toward a world invested in community and not punitive practices. City of Asylum @ Alphabet City. 40 W. North Ave., North Side. 7-8:30 p.m. cityofasylum.org
Celtic Woman Christmas. Celebrate this holiday season with the celestial voices of multi-platinum Irish singing sensation Celtic Woman with a full orchestra. Featuring music from the all-female ensemble’s favorite Yuletide songs performed by them over the years. Heinz Hall. 600 Penn Ave., Downtown. 7:30 p.m. pittsburghsymphony.org
Wednesday, December 6
The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Charles Dickens' final unfinished novel inspired Rupert Holmes to write this hilarious, lighthearted whodunit of a musical. Dickens’ unfinished work is finished with one of multiple endings decided by an audience vote. A must-see for theater-goers seeking an amusing, family-friendly production. PNC Theatre, Point Park University. 350 Forbes Ave., Downtown. 7:30 p.m. Continues through Dec. 10. playhouse.pointpark.edu
A 1940s Radio Christmas Carol. Join the cast and crew of WOV Radio Station as they broadcast their annual Christmas Radio Show. Full of comedic twists and mayhem, this is A Christmas Carol like you have never seen before. Genesius Theater, Duquesne University. 600 Forbes Ave., Uptown. 8 p.m. Continues through Dec. 9. duqredmasquers.com
Thursday, December 7
Proximate Objects: Large Contemporary Artworks and Their Territorial Claims. The 2023 Annual Terry Smith Lecture in Contemporary Art draws on Dr. Malik Gaines’ writing for an upcoming book that studies monumental-scale artworks and situates their historical and political effects. Frick Fine Arts Building. 650 Schenley Drive, Oakland. 5:30 p.m. carnegieart.org
One-Log Bridge. Composer Yan Pang’s new opera theater work about the immigrant experience in the U.S. uses the beauty of voice to explore the social complexities inherent in notions of resilience, race, solidarity, immigration, and settlement challenges. New Hazlett Theater. 6 Allegheny Square East, North Side. 8 p.m. Continues through Dec. 8. newhazletttheater.org
A Christmas Story: The Play. Ralphie Parker and company make their triumphant return to the Pittsburgh Public Theater. The amazing memories and moments made famous by the movie come to life, sparking nostalgia for ages 9 to 99. O’Reilly Theater. 621 Penn Ave., Downtown. 8 p.m. Continues through Dec. 23. trustarts.org
Friday, December 8
The Wind Got Up in the Night and Took Our Plans Away. Features intergenerational photographers and photography collectives from Serbia that approach documentary photography conceptually, and utilize photography as a means to explore social and political complexities, and cultural transitions happening within Serbia, once part of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Yugoslavia). 937 Liberty. 937 Liberty Ave., Downtown. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Continues through March 2024. trustarts.org
Senseless! Touching is Seeing. Touching is Seeing. Tasting is Hearing. Smelling is Walking. Challenge your proprioception beyond the safe bubble of your own body. Opening and sensory party for an OtherWorldly exhibition. The Frame Gallery. 5200 Forbes Ave., Oakland. 6-9 p.m. instagram.com/theframegallerycmu
The Nutcracker. Celebrate the most delightful time of year with the sweetest of holiday traditions, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s The Nutcracker. Join Marie, her Nutcracker prince, and hundreds of colorful characters for an unforgettable adventure through the Land of Enchantment. Benedum Center. 237 Seventh St., Downtown. 7 p.m. Continues through Dec. 28. pbt.org
Focal Point Presents: ASTROFUNK. A departure from the conventional DJ night or artist showcase, ASTROFUNK brings a multifaceted evening of funky music with three emcees, three scratch DJs, and three live music performances. Expect an eclectic spread of upbeat and bass-driven funk, hip-hop, and alternative rock, with a 3D planetarium-style projection-mapped visuals and intergalactic decor. The Bridge Music Bar. 6018 Broad St., East Liberty. 8 p.m. facebook.com/FocalPointProductionsLLC
We Want The Funk Festival. The fifth annual We Want the Funk Festival will celebrate the rhythm-driven musical genre that evolved from the R&B, soul, and jazz scenes of the 1960s and that continues to influence today’s artists. August Wilson African American Cultural Center. 980 Liberty Ave., Downtown. 8 p.m. Continues through Dec. 9. trustarts.org
Saturday, December 9
Winter Artists Market. Featuring over 30 artist vendors, yummy treats, festive cocktails, and make-and-take activities in the printmaking and jewelry studios. Pittsburgh Center for Arts & Media. 1047 Shady Ave., Shadyside. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. pghartsmedia.org
Nutcracker Ballet. Featuring spectacular choreography set to Tchaikovsky’s stunning and delightful score, The Nutcracker will warm your soul and transport you to a spectacular world of dance and holiday magic. The Palace Theatre. 21 W. Otterman St., Greensburg. 11 a.m. westmorelandsymphony.org
CDCP x WCDC Present: Jasmine Green. As a painter and poet, Jasmine Green’s work exists as a safe harbor for Black women and girls, centering themes such as mental health, systemic oppression, joy, liberatory visions, and power. Lohr Gallery. 725 Wood St., Wilkinsburg. 12-3 p.m. Continues through February 24. caseydroege.com
100 Ways to Cross the Border and Borderhole. This series of films will be presented by Amber Bemak, a filmmaker, artist, and educator whose work is based in experimental and documentary film. Carnegie Museum of Art Theater. 4400 Forbes Ave., Oakland. 3 p.m. carnegieart.org
The Muppet Christmas Carol in Concert. The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra presents Disney’s The Muppet Christmas Carol in Concert featuring a screening of the complete film with the musical score performed live to the film. Heinz Hall. 600 Penn Ave., Downtown. 7 p.m. pittsburghsymphony.org
Lakecia Benjamin & Phoenix. Voted by 2020 Downbeat Critics Poll as Rising Star Alto Saxophonist, and Up and Coming Artist of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association, charismatic and dynamic saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin fuses traditional conceptions of jazz, hip hop, and soul. New Hazlett Theater. 6 Allegheny Square East, 7:30 p.m. newhazletttheater.org
Sunday, December 10
Chroma Maze. Explore an immersive environment of color at MuseumLab. This inflatable structure by art and design studio Pneuhaus lets you interact with color in a tactile and joyful way in a shoes-off, socks-on shared experience. MuseumLab. 6 Allegheny Square East, North Side. 12-5 p.m. Continues through September 2024. museumlab.org
Spang’s First Century. Pittsburgh Sound + Image presents a feature-length documentary shot in Pittsburgh in the 1920s, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of local pipe-makers Spang Chalfant and Company. The screening will be on 35mm, with a newly recorded score by Pittsburgh musicians INEZ, Annie Hui-Hsin Hsieh, Bryce Rabideau, Bri Dominique, Hezreel Robertson, Tre Seguritan Abalos, and Margaret Cox. Harris Theater. 809 Liberty Ave., Downtown. 1 p.m. trustarts.org
Winter Revue: Dancing to Twenty. The Annual Winter Revue is a tradition celebrating and showcasing what the students of Hill Dance Academy Theatre have achieved from September to December. Hill Dance Academy Theatre. 2900 Bedford Ave., Hill District. 4:30-6 p.m. 5678hdat.org
